Self-starting engine.



latvntvd Juni 15, 1915.

4 SHEETS SHEET 2.

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W I l E. E. WINKLEY. SELF STARTING ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.29. ISOC.

l 1 43, 1 56. Patented June 15, 1915.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3.

l5' IZ 4 E. E. WINKLEY.

SELF STARTING ENGINE.

APPucAnoN man sEPr.29, |906.

1, 1 43, 1 5 6. Patented J une 15, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

me 1'. ntnessps: 50 I zo EEASTUS E. WINKLEY, 0F LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

SELF-STARTING ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une 15, 1915.

Application led September 29, 1906. Serial No. 336,662.

T0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ERAsTUs E. VVINKLEY, a. citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Starting Engines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to improvements in self-starting engines.

Cert-ain types of motor engines, particularly internal-combustion heat engines, are normally incapable of starting themselves from a state of rest, since the exhibition of energy by such engines requires the preliminary performance of a certain portion of their cycle of operations involving movement of the piston or other Working part. Such engines are commonly started by the application of suflicient power from an extraneous source. usually manually, to set them in motion; but many attempts have been made to produce satisfactory devices to start such engines without labor on the part of the operator. Such devices fall generally into two classes; 1st, those in which a supply of stored energy, such as compressed air or other` gases, or a fixed spring, is depended upon to impart sulhcient movement to the engine to start .its normal operation, and. 2nd, those in which a charge of explosive mixture is introduced into the cylluder and ignited hy manually-controlled devices. the momentum imparted to the cngine by the explosion of such charge being depended upon to start the engine.

Devices of the first class above referred to involve the use of ohjectionably bulky and heavy mechanism, and suffer from the Further disadvantage that in case of the failure of the engine to be properly started the renewal of the supply of energy involves considerable inconvenience or the prrf'ormaiufe of much manual labor. Devii-os of the second class require ay cci-ain degree of attention and skill on the part of the operator. and cannot hc relied upon lo start the engine under a heavy load,since a single explosive charge only is used at cach attempt.

Hna chiel-t of the present invention is to produce a self-starting engine which will start With certainty even under a heavy load, and to this end the invention consists in the employment of devices for imparting a plurality of successive starting impulses to the engine during a single cycle of movements thereof.

Another object of the invention is to produce a self-starting engine which does not demand the storage and exertion of a considerable amount of energy, and to this end the invention consists in devices by which air or explosive mixture stored under comparatively slight pressure is used explosively, so as to exert a degree of energy much greater than that due to the pressure under which it is stored.

Another object of the invention is the production of an engine which Will start itself in either direction.

Other objects and features of the invention will be noted in connection with the description of the illustrated embodiment of the invention` In the drawing, Figure l, is a side elevation of an engine embodying the present invention. Fig. :2 is a side elevation., partly in section, with certain parts omitted. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section through one of the cylinders of the engine. Fig. 4 is a. detail plan view, partly in section, of part of. the valve-actuating mechanism. Fig. 5 is a. vertical elevation of the ignition-timing device. Fig. 6 is an end view of the same, and Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the same.

The invention is illustrated as embodied in a :four-cylinder four-cycle gasolene engine, the engine being of ordinary construction with the exception of the addition of the starting and reversing devices.

The cylinders 1 are mounted upon a crank case 2 and provided with the usual pistons 3, connecting rods 4- and crank shaft 5. Each cylinder is provided with an inlet port 6, controlled by a suction operated puppet valve 7, and an exhaust port 8 controlled by a mochanically-operated exhaust valve 9. The crank shaft is connected by means of reducing gearing 10 (Fig. 1) with the usual halt-speed. cam shaft ll, by which the exhaust\ alvo cams and the ignition timer are actuated. Each exhaust valve is connected, by means oi a rock-lover 1Q at 13 on the cylinder head and a thrust rod 14 engaging A:he rock-lever l2. with a cam lever 15 (Figs.

3 and 4) pivoted upon a stationary shaft 16 in the crank case, the cam lever 15 carrying a cam roll 17 engaging the exhaust cam 18 on the cam shaft; and b these means the exhaust valves are opene on alternate upstrokes of the pistons in the usual manner of a four-cycle engine.

During the normal operation of the engine the inlet valves 7 are opened during the intake strokes of the pistons and the charges of/ explosive mixture are drawn from an ,ordinary supply, such as a gasolene carbu reter but auxiliary devices are provided for introducing charges of explosive mixture through the inlet valves while the engine is at rest, for the purpose of starting it. These devices are constructed as follows: Each inlet port is connected with an inlet chamber 20, and the chambers 2O are connected by a longitudinal inlet pipe 21 connected at 22 with a suitable supply of explosive mixture, such as a gasolene carbureter. The connections between the supply pipe 21 and the chambers 2O are controlled by puppet valves 28, but these valves, during the normal operation of the engine, are held open. A second or auxiliary supply pipe 24 is connected with all the inlet chambers 20, such connections being controlled by puppet valves 25. The supply pipe 24 is connected with a source of compressed air 26, and between the air supply and the cylinders a carbureter 27 is interposed, for the purpose of mingling gasolene vapor with the air to form an explosive mixture. The carbureter 27 is provided with an air valve 28 secured to a needle valve 29. The latter valve controls the flow of gasolene to the carburetor and is actuated by the air valve, which is lifted by the air passing through the carburetor. An equalizing pipe 30 connects the supply pipe 24 with the upper part of the tank 31 containing the gasolene supply for the earbureter 27, so that the air pressure above the gasolene may equal the pressure in the carbureter. An adjusting valve 32 permits adjusting the mixture produced by the carbureter 27.

During the normal operation of the engine the starting valves 25 remain closed and Yno air flows through the supply pipe 24, but means are provided for holding the valves 25 open, when it is desired to start the engine, during the portion of the cycle of operation of each cylinder which corresponds to the expansion stroke o the piston during the normal operation of the engine. Each valve 25 is provided with a stem 34 pivotally connected with a link 35, the lower end of which is pivoted to a rock lever 36. The rock levers 36 are pivoted at 37 upon upright arms 38 fixed to a rock shaft 39 journaled on the crank case. When the starting mechanism is in operation the rock levers 36 rest, as Shown in Fig. 3, upon the usual in such devices.

upper ends of plungers 40. The lower end of each plunger rests in an elongated cup 41 on a cam lever 42 journaled, for convenience, upon a sleeve 43 integral with the corresponding exhaust-valve lever 15, as shown in Fig. 4. Each starting-valve cam lever 42 carries a cam roll 41 engaging a starting cam 45 on the cam shaft 11. The cams 45 are so formed as to lift the starting valve in each cylinder at the commencement of the down stroke of the piston corresponding to the expansion stroke. and to hold the valve open during the Whole or substantially the whole of such stroke or until the exhaust valve opens near the end of the stroke.

During the normal operation of the engine the starting valves 25 are thrown out of operation by disconnecting them from their cam mechanism. This is accomplished by depressing a hand lever 4G on the rock shaft 39, thereby rocking the arms 88 to the right and withdrawing the rock levers 36 from the plungers 40, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 3. By thesame operation the inclined outer surfaces of the rock levers are forced under the stems of the puppet valves 23, so as to raise these valves and maintain free communication between the inlet chambers and the main supply pipe 21. The starting valves at such time are held closed by the pressure of air in the auxiliary supplyT pipe 24.

Each cylinder is provided with a spark plug 48 which is of ordinary construction except that the electrodes are extended into the cylinder somewhat farther than usual for a. purpose to be presently described. These spark plugs are connected with hightension spark coils or other suitable electric apparatus in the usual manner. and the engine is provided with a timing device or contact mechanism to control the operation of the spark plugs. This mechanism is shown in Figs. 5, (3 and 7 and operates to close the circuit through each of the tour coils which are preferably used with a tour cylinder engine, and to interrupt such circuits at the proper time. It is also provided with a device for changing the time of the sparks to give early or late ignition, as is ln addition to these features, however, the timer is provided with means for changing the time of operation according to the direction of rotation of the engine, and with further meansA for changing the time of operation when the starting devices are in use. The dam shaft 11 extends from the rear end of the crank case 2 and carries a commutator comprising a drum 50 of insulating material upon which two contact pieces 51 are mounted. A shell 52 of insulating material carries four regularly-spaced spring-pressed contact devices 53 connected respectively with the four coils by which the spark plugs of the several cylinders are operated. A fifth contact device 54 affords a return for the circuit passing through' the contact devices 53 and the contact pieces 51. These contact devices are connected with the coils and other electrical apparatus in the usual manner, which is Well understood and need not be here described. Referring to Fig. 7, it will be seen that cach contact piece 5l is provided with a short portion 55 which serves to determine the time and duration of contact during the normal operation of the engine. The shell 52 is mounted on a sleeve 56 loosely mounted on the cam shaft 11, and by means of a hand lever '57 fixed to the shell the shell may be slightly rotated, so as to vary the time of ignition in the usual manner. In the normal running of the engine such Contact occurs at or just before the beginning of the expansion stroke of the engine, but when the starting devices are in operation it is necessary to continue the operation of the igniting devices throughout the Whole or the greater portion of the expansion stroke and for this purpose the contact pieces nl are provided With elongated portions 5S adjacent to the portions 55. The insulating drum 50 is splined to the cam shaft and free to move longitudinally thereon, and it is secured to a grooved collar 59, engaged by a forked arm 60 mounted on a hand lever 61, the hand lever being pivotally mounted in turn on a bracket 62 fixed to the crank case. By means of this hand lever the commutator may be moved longitudinally to bring either the portion 55 or the portion 58 of the contact piece 5l into position to engage the Contact devices In either position the return-contact device 54 still engages the contact piece 51. The hand lever G1 is provided with a retaining latch 63. After the engine is started the coxnniutator is shifted to position to use the short contact portion .55, for the sake of economizing the electric current, although the engine will operate equally Well if the long contact 58 is continued in use, since both contacts commence at the same point.

The operation of the above described mechanism in starting the engine is as follows: Snpposing the communication between the compressed-air supply 26 and the engine to bc opened by means of a suitable hand valve 241 in the supply pipe 24, compressed air passes from the tank through the carbureter 27 and the explosive mixture so produced then enters whichever one of the inlet chambers 2() 'is connected with the cylinder in which the piston at such time happens to be on or at the beginning of the ontstroke corresponding to the expansion stroke in the normal operation of the engine, the correspondingr starting valve Qi being at such time held open by its cam mechanism. The explosive mixture from the chamber Q0 then passes through the spring-controlled inlet valve 7 into the upper end of the cylinder, the air or burnt gases remaining in the cylinder being more or less rapidly displaced therefrom through leakage past the piston or the exhaust valve, so that a charge is introduced under pressure into the cylinder. At the same time the commutator is shifted by means 0f the hand iever Gl to bring the long contact portions 5S into operation, and the position of the conunutator is such that the spark plug -18 in the cylinder in question operates continuously during the admission of such charge of explosive mixture. As soon. as the amount of explosive mixture in the cylinder issuilicient, therefore, it is ignited, this operation being facilitated by the extension of the electrodes to the vicinity of the inlet valve, and the mixture thereupon explodes and drives the piston downward in the cylinder. The piston moves rapidly until the pressure in the cylinder falls, owing to the expansion of the gases, to or slightly below that in the inlet chamber 20 and thereupon the inlet valve 7 is opened again and a further quantity of explosive mixture admitted to the cylinder and ignited. This operation is repeated until the piston has reached the end of its out-stroke or the point at which the exhaust valve opens, and at this point the starting val\'e 25 is closed by its cam mechanism. Coincidently, however, with the end of the expansion stroke of one piston another piston is in position to begin its expansion stroke, and thus the starting operation is transferred to another piston, the use of four cylinders resulting in a substantially continuous introduction and ignition of cxplosive mixture in one or another of the cylinders.

The effect of the operation above described is to produce a plurality of successive cxplosions in the cylinder during :t single stroke of the piston. W'hen the engine is lightly loaded only a few such iinpulses are necessary to start the engine, the piston moving rapidly so as to utilize the full expansive force of the gases, but when the engine is heavily loaded it will still start with certainty, since the introduction and explosion of charges continues indefinitely until the piston has been driven to the end of its out-stroke.

To facilitate the admission of the explosive charges to the cylinders 'in starting the engine, in case the leakage is not snilicient to permit the escape of the residual gases in the cylinder, a device is provided for lifting the exhaust valres momentarily from their seats, to afford vents. For this purpose a rock shaft 66 jonrnalcd in the crank case and provided with an outwardly-extending hand lever G7 is provided with arms G8 engaging the exhaust-valve cam leversn 15. By depressing the hand lever 67 the levers may be lifted, and thus the exhaust valves are moved from their seats.

ln order that the engine may be started and operated in either direction, it is provided with two sets of exhaust cams and starting cams, connected by inclined surfaces 69, as shown in Fig. 2, While the shaft 1G upon which the cam levers are mounted is arranged to move longitudinally in the crank case, carrying the cam levers with it by means of collars 70 by which they are confinedon the shaft 16. A hand lever 7l pivoted at 7 2 on the crank case is connected with the shaft 16 so as to move it lon itudinally and by these means the cam ro ls 17 and 44 may be made to engage the two sets of cams alternatively, one set of cams being timed to operate the engine in one direction and the other set of cams to opcrate it in the other direction. The elongated cups 41 on the cam levers 42 permit such movement Without disturbing the relation between the plungers 40 and the levers 42, while the push rods 14 of the exhaust valve mechanism are so connected at their ends as to permit lateral displacement without interfering With the operation of the exhaust-valve mechanism` It is necessary, upon reversing the valve mechanism, to reverse also the ignition timing device, and this is accomplished by means of a downwardly-extending forked arm 7 3 fixed to the rear end of the shaft 16 and embracing a grooved sleeve 74 to which the shell 52 is fixed. The sleeve 74 is free to slide upon the cam shaft 11, and by these means the shell 52 is moved longitudinally with the shaft 16 so as to cause the contact devices 53 and 54 to engage either one or the other of the two contact pieces 51 on the commutator according.r to the direction in which the engine is to run.

Owing to the fact that initial compression of the explosive mixture is not depended upon to start the engine. but th'at the mixture is ignited and expanded in the c vlinders, a comparatively low compression of the explosive mixture is sufficient, it having been found in practice that a pressure of twelve pounds in the tank 26 is ample. For this reason only a comparatively small tank and a slight expenditure of power in charging the tank is necessary, and during the normal operation of the engine the tank may be conveniently charged by a small pump connected with the engine, or by a small hand pump when, for any reason, the pressure in the tank has been dissipated without starting the engine.

Although the invention has been de scribed in connection with an engine of a particular type it is not limited to such an engine, but may be embodied in engines of various forms, as, for example, in internalcombustion engines of other than the fourcycle type, and the invention, in its broadest aspect is applicable to engines of any type which are not normally self-starting, the starting device being constructed to impart a plurality of successive starting impulses during a single-cycle of operation of the engine.

The invention is not, in general, limited to the details of construction and operation of the illustrated embodiment thereof, but

may be embodied in other forms broadly defined in the claims.

I claim- 1. An internal combustion engine, having, in combination, a piston, a cylinder, and means operating automatically to impart a plurality of impulses indeterminate in number to the piston during a single outstroke thereof to start the motor in operation, substantially as described.

2. An internal combustion engine, having, in combination, a piston, a cylinder, and means for imparting to the piston a plurality of impulses during a single outstroke and at indeterminate positions thereof to start the motor in operation, substantially as described.

3. An internal combustion engine, having, in combination, a piston, a cylinder, means operating automatically for forcing successive charges of explosive mixture into the cylinder during a single working stroke of the piston and at indeterminate positions thereof, and means for igniting such charges successively, substantially as described.

4. An internal-combustion engine having, in combination a piston, a cylinder provided with an inlet, means for automatically forcing a plurality of successive charges of explosive mixture into the cylinder during a single outstroke of the piston, means for igniting such charges successively, and an automatic pressure-actuated check valve for preventing the return of gas through the cylinder inlet while the pressure following ignition exceeds the pressure at which the charges are introduced, substantially as described` 5. An internal combustion motor, having, in combination, a piston, a cylinder having inlet and exhaust valves, lneans for actuating the valves during the normal operation of the motor, means for forcing a charge of explosive mixture into the cylinder through the inlet valve when the motor is at rest, means for opening the exhaust f valv'e when "the motor is at r'cst to permit the escape of inlet gases and relieve the pressure in the cylinder, and means for igniting tbc charge in the cylinder to start the motor.

6. An internal combustion engine, having. in combination, a piston, a cylinder provided with an inlet, an automatic pressure-actuated check valve in said inlet, means for forcing explosive mixture through the inlet and into the cylinder, an lignition device, and means for actuating the ignition device continuously during a single Working stroke of the piston, substantially as described.

'l'. A four-cycle internal-combustion engine, ha ving in combination, a piston, a cylinder provided with a mechanically-operated exhaust valve and a suction-controlled inlet valve, a chamber communicating with the inlet valve, a valve-controlled inlet to said chamber connecting it with a source of explosive mixture under compression, mechanism for automatically opening said valve during the expansion stroke only of the piston, a passage connecting said chamber with the ordinary source ot' explosive mixture under atmospheric pressure, a valve controlling said passage and preventing the escape therethrough of the compressed mixture, and an igniting device in the cylinder operable during the admission of the compressed mixture to the cylinder, substantially as described.

8. An internal-combustion engine, having in combination, a piston, a cylinder, an inletchamber communicating With the cylinder, a valve controlling such communication, passages connecting the inlet chamber with a source of explosive mixture under pressure and an ordinary source of explosive mixture at atmospheric pressure, valves controlling said passages, and means for holding open the valve controlling the passage to the ordinary mixture supply during the normal operation of the engine, substantially as described.

9. An internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders each provided with a piston and with an inlet, means for supplying charges through the inlet in normal operation of the engine, auxiliary devices for forcing a charge through the inlet into only that cylinder, the piston of which is on its expansion stroke, and for igniting said charge'v While the engine is at rest to start the engine in operation, and means operating automatically for preventing the return of gas through the cylinder inlet substantially as described.

10. An internal combustion engine, having, in combination, a piston, a cylinder provided with an exhaust valve. means for actuating thc valve during the normal operation of the motor,`means for forcing into the cylindcr during the working stroke of the piston a charge of explosive mixture, and for igniting the same to start the engine, and means for opening the exhaust valve to facilitate the admission of such charge, substantially as described.

11. A multi-cylinder, four-cycle internal combustion engine, having, in combination, pistons, cylinders, exhaust valves` an inlet port for each cylinder, a suction-operated inlet valve between the port and cylinder, means connected to the atmospheric air for supplying mixture to said port, an auxiliary inlet valve between saidV means and said port capable of being opened by atmospheric pressure on the suction stroke of the piston, means connected with said port for supplying compressed mixture, a valve between .said means and said port held closed during the normal operation of the engine, means for opening said valve during an expansion stroke of the piston to supply compressed mixture for starting the engine, and means for igniting the startin and the regular charges of mixture, su stantia-lly as described.

12. An internal combustion engine, having, in combination, a piston, a cylinder, means operating automatically for introducing and igniting a charge of explosive mixture While the piston is at rest to start the motor in operation, and thereafter introducing and igniting a. plurality of charges before the piston reaches lthe end of its-"outstroke, substantially as described.

13. An internal combustion engine, having, in combination, a piston, a cylinder, a source of ex losive mixture under pressure, connections ietweensaid source and the cylinder, an automatic, pressure-actuated valve in said connections arranged to open to permit the passage of gas to the cylinder and to close to prevent passage of gas in the opposite direction, and means for igniting the mixture in the cylinder, substantially as described.

14. An internal combustion engine, having, in combination, a piston, a cylinder, a source of explosive mixture for the `normal operation of the engine, an auxiliary sourceof explosive mixture under compression, and means for automatically introducing and igniting a plurality of charges from said auxiliary source during a single outstroke of the piston tostart the motor in operation, substantially as described.

15. An internal combustion engine, having, in combination, a plurality of cylinders, a piston in each cylinder, means for automatically introducing and igniting a plurality of charges of explosive mixture in the proper cylinder and during a single outstroke of the piston to start the motor in op` eration in either direction, substantially as described.

16. An internal combustion engine, having, in combination, a plurality of cylinders, cach provided with a piston, a source of explosive mixture under pressure, connectlons between said source-and each ofthe cylinders, cam-actuated valves in said connections, cams and connected mechanism for opening said valves timed to permit the passage of explosive mixture to the cyllnder the piston of which is on its expansion stroke,

and for igniting a an automatic, pressure-actuated valve between each cam-actuated valve and its cylinder, and an ignition device in each cylinder for igniting a plurality of charges of explosive mixture during a sin le outstroke of the piston, substantially as escribed.

17 An internal combustion engine, having, in combination, a piston, a cylinder, means for normally introducing into` the cylinder charges of explosive mixture and' igniting the same, and auxiliary devices for starting the motor in operation, said devices comprising automatic means for introducing plurality of charges during a single outstro e of the piston, substantially as described.

18. An internal combustion engine, having, in combination, a plurality of cylinders, mechanism under the control of the operator operating by a single actuation thereof to introduce a plurality of charges into each of a plurality of cylinders, and means forigniting the charges successively to secure a plurality of starting impulses, substantially as described.

19. An internal combustion engine, having, in combination, a plurality of cylinders, mechanism under the control of the operator operating by a single actuation thereof to introduce a charge into each of a plurality of cylinders successively, and means for igniting the charges successively to procure a plurality of starting impulses, substantially as described. Y

20. An internal combustion engine,` having, in combination, a cylinder provided with an inlet, an inlet valve, means operating automatically for forcing a plurality of charges of explosive mixture through said inlet to startthe engine in operation, and means for supplying explosive mixture through said inlet when the engine is in normaloperation, and means for igniting the explosive mixture in the cylinder, substantially as described.

21. An internal combustion engine, having, in combination, a cylinder provided with an inlet, a` valve in said inlet, two Sources of explosive mixture, both connected with said inlet, one for supplying explosive mixture under pressure for starting the engine in operation, and the other for supplying explosive mixture when the engine is in regular operation, means for automatically supplying a plurality of charges to start the engine, and an ignition device, substantially as described.

22. An internal combustion engine, having, in combination, a cylinder, a piston, mechanism under the control of the operator operating by a single actuation thereof to introduce a plurality of charges into the cylinder during a single working stroke thereof and at indeterminate positions of the pistol, and means for gniting the charges, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

ERASTUS E. WINKLEY.

Witnesses:

FARNUM F. DoRsEY, HoaAcE VAN EVEREN.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,143,156, granted June 15,

1915, upon the application of Erastus E. Winkley, of Lynn, Massachusetts, for an improvement in Self-Starting Engines, an errors.ppears in the printed specification requiring correction asfollows: Page 6, lines 64455, for the word pistelf read piston; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Olce.

Signed and sealed this 27th day of July, iA. D., 1915.

[SEAL] R. F. WHITEHEAD,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

